On This Day in 1972, Don Gibson Reached No. 1 for the Final Time With a Song That Returned to the Country Charts Over 20 Years Later

On this day (September 2) in 1972, Don Gibson went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “Woman (Sensuous Woman).” It was his third and final trip to the top of the country singles chart. However, it was far from his final hit.

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While Gibson only scored three chart-toppers, he had an incredibly successful career as a songwriter and recording artist. He released his debut single, “Sweet Dreams,” in 1956, and it became a top 10 hit. Two years later, he released “Oh Lonesome Me” as the lead single and title track from his debut album. It became his first No. 1. Later that year, he released “Blue Blue Day,” and scored his second No. 1. Fourteen years and 15 top 10 hits later, Gibson returned to No. 1 with the Gary Paxton-penned cheating song, “Woman (Sensuous Woman).”

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Gibson wrote several songs that went on to be hits for other artists. However, his most impactful song was “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the B-side of “Oh Lonesome Me.” The original version of the song peaked at No. 7. It has since been recorded by several artists, including Freddy Fender, Martina McBride, Johnny Rodriguez, Kitty Wells, and Elvis Presley. Conway Twitty took the song to No. 1 in 1972, and Count Basie won a Grammy for it in 1963.

Don Gibson’s Final No. 1 Became a ’90s Country Banger

Some listeners may not recognize Don Gibson’s version of “Woman (Sensuous Woman).” However, most are likely familiar with the version Mark Chesnutt released in 1994 as the final single from his album Almost Goodbye. His version peaked at No. 21 on the Hot Country Songs chart and got plenty of airplay.

Gibson’s rendition of the song had more in common with the lush Nashville Sound production of the time than the hard country that dominated the charts later in the decade. More than two decades later, Chesnutt gave the song a 1990s update, complete with fiddle, pedal steel, Telecaster twang, and a beat that was made for two-stepping.

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